YOU WILL SOON BE REDIRECTED TO MY NEW BLOG

WordPress it is

I have moved my blog over to WordPress. Please change the link on your blogroll if I am on it. You can find my blog here. Thanks for reading.

SNYDER

Blogger or Wordpress

I'm thinking about importing this blog over to Wordpress. Any thoughts at all? Does it even matter? Do enough people read my blog anyways? I think I am going to do it.

SNYDER

Spiritual Gifts Tests

Last week I had some great ministry conversations with some really good friends who I have known for 25 years and one I have known for just over a year. The conversations were great and I really miss working in a church. Anyways, as you can see the title of this blog is Spiritual Gifts Tests.
We some how got on the topic of these tests. One of the guys I was talking to was mentioning the fact that every time he has taken a test his gifts change. What he realized was that what ever stage he was in in his life reflected the results of his tests. For example. If he was in a leadership role at his job then leadership was his number 1 spiritual gift. If he was teaching a small group at this time then teaching and discipleship were his top gifts. I got to thinking about this in my life too and the times I have taken Spiritual gifts tests. Very similar and the same results. When I was a full time volunteer and I took the test, Serving was my top gift. The next time I took it I was leading a small group and discipleship was my number 1 gift. I really don't know what all this means, but it was just interesting to look at. If you have taken spiritual gifts tests have you noticed this trend? What does it mean, if anything? Is it even a big concern? Just thinking outloud. Thought it was an interesting thing.

SNYDER

Okla-home-a

I am back from my original home of Oklahoma to my adopted home of California. That is why I have not blogged. It felt great not to while I was gone. You should try it as well.

SNYDER

Who is worship really for?

I have heard a lot of people over the years say they do not like the worship at ________ Church or I don't like so and so as a worship leader. Or the music is too loud. The music is too slow. I don't like hymns. Now, who is to say that God doesn't enjoy all of this. And I understand that we want to enjoy worship and what it is all about, but we have to remember that worship is not for us. Worship is for God and to God. So the next time you are worshiping remember who it is for and why we do it and you might have a different perspective on it.

SNYDER

More of my brother

I found another video on www.msnbc.com



SNYDER

Sunday Night Service - Mariner's Church

Here is one of our logos for this new service. It was created by Brian Hurst. We now have a Facebook Group that you can connect to here.

SNYDER

My Brother was on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams

Here is the story that was shown tonight



and here is some web only stuff.



Super proud of my brother.

SNYDER

Sunday Night Service

This Sunday at Mariner's Church in Irvine we will be launching a new Sunday Night Service.
Our desire is for people to meet with Jesus in community, have our lives transformed, and be used by Him to change the world around us.
Our service will start at 8pm and last until about 9:30 in the Upper Room above the Global Cafe.
It is for all ages and life stages.
Come check it out.
If you go to Mariner's and want to check it out or even volunteer please let me know.


SNYDER

Church 2.0

Right now I am at a church 2.0 forum that is being lead by Greg Atkinson. How is your church or ministry using web 2.0? I know a lot are, but what does it look like? How do we use social networking for the church and especially our youth? I think online community can be used super well for youth. What ministries are doing this well?

SNYDER

I really like NewSpring Church

This was done for their student ministry.


So, In This Hour... from Ben Coleman on Vimeo.

Cool new online community

I know you can some how use this for your youth ministry. Some of you might already be using it. If so let me know. I just signed up for it today. Stickam Check it out. Let me know your thoughts. I am sure you will not be disappointed. You can find mine here.

SNYDER

Called to something more

The past few days I have really been thinking about a lot of stuff. I currently am part time at a school as the elementary/JH chaplain, but lately I have had this tugging to do more and bigger. Can I do it part time, the time I am away from the school? I think so. What is this more and bigger? I am not sure. I have been talking with my wife about and praying about it. I know that I can contribute to something bigger and more, but what is it. As I think and pray through this I will let you know what I come up with, but in the mean time I would love for some prayer. Thanks.

SNYDER

Can Big Brown win the Triple Crown today?

I hope so.

SNYDER

Are they really lost?

Why do we (Christ Followers) call people who don't know Christ lost? They do not think they are lost. When non-Christians here this do they just laugh? Is there a better name people who don't know Christ the way we do? We know what that means, but they have no idea. Thoughts?

SNYDER

Mike Foster

Recently I have been reading Mike Foster's Blog, Deadly Viper. It is a really good blog. Check it out.

SNYDER

Are you REALLY training your small group leaders?

I hear all the time that Small Groups is where the growth happens. This is especially true for Seeker Friendly churches. I have heard over and over again people complain that they don't get anything out of the Sunday message and that if that's what they want they should join a small group. I agree. But I also believe that you can always get something out of a message. For more on this check out Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis. And I think it is more important for youth than for adults to have small group leader training. I believe adults can discuss and carry on a deep conversation without much direction, but youth need that direction and push.
So, how are you training your small group leaders?
Do you have one training at the beginning of the year and that is it?
Are you meeting with them once a month?
What does your training look like?
Do you even have training, or do you throw your leaders to the wolves?
I personally, don't believe there is enough small group leader training. Some people don't need it. They have been small group leaders for years, and they get it.
It's easy to read out of something and start a conversation, but do your small group leaders really invest in their students?
Are they doing more than showing up on a Tuesday night for an hour and a half?
What are your thoughts?

SNYDER

iPhone iBroke

About two weeks ago I dropped my iPhone on its face. Yeah it was awesome. I feared the worst as I picked it up. Yup, you guessed it. The face has about 30 cracks on it. The best part though is that it still works just fine. I got all the glass out that was loose or could cut me. I am still pretty ticked about it, but I am super glad that Apple makes a product that even when dropped and shattered still works. The bummer, too, is that it is not covered by the one year insurance protection it comes with. I know the new one comes out soon, but I cannot afford it right now, so I will have to make do with my broken one.




SNYDER

Tech in Youth Ministry

How are you using tech and social networking in your ministry?
Are you using Facebook or Myspace or Twitter?
Do you have a blog set up for your ministry? What online tools are you giving to your students?
Do you use YouVersion or suggest it to your students?
How do you use video and other media tools in your ministry?
The more you use tech and and the web and all these gadgets do you tend to find them to be a hindrance or a help in relational ministry?
What do you provide online for your students?
These are some questions I think you need to ask yourself and evaluate. Technology, if used right, is such a great way to reach your students. Use it.

SNYDER